SpongeBob SquarePants First 100 Episodes is the ?must-have? DVD collection for the über SpongeBob fan. This collection includes every episode from Seasons 1 through 5 plus exclusive special features on 14 discs.

It is unknown the status about the features labeled "unconfirmed", and what the disc break-up is going to be. My guess is if it includes way more bonus features than listed, then it would be discs 1-10 are the episodes (half a season per disc) and 11-14 are bonus discs, but only time will tell.

There will be a setup menu on each disc with audio and visual options, and presumably captions, and the packaging will be a 3D-lenticular slipcase housed in plexiglass. It sounds like a deal to me, and I'll be picking this up despite the fact I already own seasons 1-5 on DVD."

The Offering is Pantiful

Alexander M. Walker | Chicago, IL USA | 09/26/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Most shows take about five seasons to reach that coveted 100 episode mark that leads them to syndication glory. While studios may only see the line as a cash cow, for the casual viewer 100 episodes represents the completion of at least two to five story arcs and perhaps even the rotation of a few characters in and out. Ah, story arcs - those are nice right? A few episodes tackling the development of a character or an important relationship amongst the characters? BALDERDASH! HASHDAGGERY!

Plot?! Story?! Depth!? Growth?! We need not these things!! These things are for lesser cartoons to consider. SpongeBob SquarePants needs not these things.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The First 100 Episodes arrived on my doorstep unexpectedly. The box was heavier than I ever expected and as I unwrapped it my mind raced trying to place which movies it could be. Yes, I figured it had to be like 6 movies crammed into that box. But no, it was a solid brick of SpongeBob. 14 discs encased in a typical DVD box set exterior with an extra, super-thick plastic case with bubbles sketched in to complement the cardboard box's design complete this goliath. This set is like a tank. Nickelodeon put a lot of care into the presentation to give the consumer a little extra nudge. After countless 8-10 episode disc releases, they've finally seen fit to put out a mammoth box set to give the serious SpongeBob fan something to sink their teeth into. Okay, so that's the outer casing, let's look at the innards.

As a 14-disc set there are 7 slim cases each adorned with the beaming happy face of one of the main characters. I for one think the Plankton cover is pretty funny, but to each their own. All of the artwork for the set is incredibly well done and the colors are absolutely beautiful. Again, it's clear Nickelodeon has put a lot into the set. So fans rejoice!

Each of the discs has 8 episodes with the typical two parts to each one. 8 x 14 = 112. So obviously, I lied. With 7 or 8 episodes a disc, the final disc is left to the four major extra features presentations. We'll get to those shortly, but it ought to be said that the big signs on the set's shrink wrap are somewhat misleading. They make very enthusiastic claims about the numerous hours of extra features but again, somewhat misleading.

The first 100 episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants can't be criticized for their content or plot because, as every fan of the show knows, no one watches SpongeBob for what it makes them think or feel. They watch it for all the things it distracts them from and helps them to forget. Kids love SpongeBob because his rationale is about on par with their own, and college kids love him because he's the perfect accompaniment to their...late night hedonistic activities? Yes, we'll leave it at that. What can be said for the show is that it visibly comes into its own from the first episode to the hundredth. The animation gets sharper, the writing smarter and the stories as inane and mindless as ever. So everyone wins. The sponge lives in a pineapple under the sea for chrissakes, don't expect too much from him. Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Mr. Lawrence, Sirena Irwin and Carolyn Lawrence all do splendid jobs as the voices and, as always, Frank Welker has a few roles here or there.

DVD Extra Features:

Each disc boasts about 2-4 optional audio commentaries. It's hard to find value in an audio commentary when the material in question is pretty much critic-proof, so let's move on to the features. The biggest hitter of the four, and easily the best, is "Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants" is a perfect little complement to a massive SpongeBob box set. All the SpongeBob cast and crew weigh in on this porous clown they've created and quite honestly - it gets pretty funny...and sometimes obscene. Mom, Dad, you might want to strip this disc from the set. The other three pale in comparison, especially since one of them is just the full-length music video "Kick-Wham-Pow-Bob". The other two, "Life Lessons from Bikini Bottom" (a summary of the show's pseudo morals) and "Help Wanted: The Seven Seas Edition" have their place but don't ever reach the candor and hilarity of "Square Root".

If you've refrained from buying those other sampler DVDs thus far, go get this one. It might set you back, but it's a huge solid brick of spongey goodness."

Great space saver!

Suzanne K. | 09/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We own all of the original seasons (1-5) currently offered of SpongeBob SquarePants. We love them but they take up a lot of space and we constantly have the discs rotating throughout our house. We definitely will keep the originals but this set is just a little wider than the box of the 1st season set. Now when our son asks for a certain episode (which he does often) we can actually find it!

I just unpacked this item so I am not sure if discs 1-13 contain bonus features (other than commentaries). There are no extras listed and I haven't found any other extras on the discs with episodes. Also, the menus aren't animated as elaborately as the originals. I prefer the original menus on the previous separate season releases; they are animated (moving pictures) as opposed to one static picture and it is easier to select the specific show that you want on the older version menus. Although, the new menus seem to load more quickly.

* I added some screenshots of the menu to the "customer images" section of this item's listing.

Disc 14 contains the following special features:

- Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants- "Help Wanted": The Seven Seas Edition- Life Lessons from Bikini Bottom- Kick-Wham-Pow-Bob Music Video

My bottom line opinion: If you are a huge fan, get the original set AND this set -- now at amazon.com for $65. If you don't care about the space or price and want just one set - get the originals. If you have kids and a budget or you like to just "play all" of the episodes - I would recommend this one because it takes up so little space and the price is really good right now - a lot cheaper than if you bought all of the seasons separately."

Spongebob From Square To Pants

Michael Kerner | Brooklyn, New York U.S.A. | 08/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There honestly has been no doubt about the success of Spongebob Squarepants, and the impact it has had on Nickelodeon, and its audiences. It not only has been the most successful cartoon they've developed since the days of Rugrats, but it also has domianted with everyone from young and old audiences of all kinds. But honestly, it is hard to believe that just this year it has celebrated its 10th Anniversary in the spotlight, and has became one of the most popular cartoon characters of all-time. With that success, Spongebob and all of his friends from Bikini Bottom, have shown not just fun and laughter, but a great feeling that has brought in more humor than we've seen from cartoon in a long time. Not only that, but Nickelodeon is really celebrating what has made Spongebob a true cartoon icon, with a compilation of what 100 Spongebobs would be like on one collaction.

Spongebob Squarepants: The First 100 Episodes brings in Spongebob Squarepants and his finest cuts from his first 5 seasons, to a whole new generation of fans young and old alike. The collection includes all of Spongebob's greatest highs and nautical humor with animation, and what it has brought out from him, Patrick, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, and all of those great from Bikini Bottom at their best. All the 100 episodes have been remastered beautifully, and re-introduce Spongebob from top to bottom well, from guilty pleasures favorites like The Camping Episode, where Spongebob & Patrick are joined by Squidward reluctantly, who feels that Spongebob and Patrick are not fit enough to joing them with their camping ways, only to be later attacked by an underwater sea bear, and Dunces & Dragons (a spoof on the Mark Twain novel A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court), where Spongebob & Patrick acciodentally wind up in medevil times, to defeat Plankton, the one-eyed wizard from the heartbreak of Bikini Bottom's torture, and Chimps Ahoy, where Spongebob helps a heartbroken Sandy from fear of leaving Bikini Bottom from not deliveringa knockout invention, by helping to design a new invention for Sandy's bosses, a bunch of chimps. Every short feels like a treat heart and soul, a great treat for anyone who has been a hard core Spongebob fan from young and old. All of them have been remastered nicely, but I do have one big gripe though. In the episode Just One Bite, where Squidward enters the Krusty Krab after closing, eagerly going to sneak a krabby patty, and feed his desire for loving krabby patties. Unfortunately, there was one major scene removed where Squidward, sneaks into the Krusty Krab, but gets hurt from Mr. Krabs security system, being burned from a gas explosion. This scene was also removed from the original launch from Just One Bite as well, but later shown for a brief time on Nickelodeon.

Still, overall, Spongebob Squarepants: The First 100 Episodes is a absolutely great delight for the hard core Spongebob fan, as well as for anyone who has not yet neven seen any of the great Spongebob cartoons from all the way back to 1999. It is absolutely a real must have for anyone who enjoys delightful, classic cartoons. I absolutely recommend this as a great reminder of how loveable the sponge from Bikini Bottom has captured our hearts.

Price: B+

Remastering: A-

Extras: B+

Overall: A-"

You will laugh your square pants off!!!!!

Linda Wallace | Chicago,IL | 06/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was the funniest ever!!! The best value too!!! I checked all over the stores, online.. This was a deal. It is Vol. 1,2,3 and 4!! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea!!!!! Sponge Bob square pants!!!!! Yeah........"